Percussion-fuse for exploding shells.



PATENTBD NOV. 17, 1903 p v K. WIBSER. PERCUSSION FUSE FOR EXPLODINGSHELLS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 21. 1901.

NO MODEL.

Wifize s 'ses UNITED STAT S iatented November 17, 1903.

PATENT OrFIcE.

KARL WIESER, OF RUTTENSCHEID, NEAR ESSEN-ON-THE-RUHR, GERMANY, ASSIGNORTO FRIED. KRUPP, OF ESSEN-ON-THE-RUHR, GERMANY.

PERCUSSION FUSE FOR EXPLODING SHELLS.

SPEGIFIGATiON forming part of Letters Patent mil 744,448, dated Nevember'l7, 1903-.

Application filed September 21, 1901. Serial No. 76,019. (No model;)

To allwhont it may concern:

Be it known that I, KARL WIESER, a citizen of the German Empire,residing at 34 Friederikenstrasse, Riittenscheid, near Essen-onthe-Ruhr,Germany, have invented certain said fuses whereby the ignition of thebursting charge of the shell can be so controlled as to cause theexplosion of the shell either at the instant of impact or after it haspenetrated into or passed through the target.

With this object in view my invention consists, essentially, in apercussion-fuse for shells having two connections between itspercussion-chamber and the bursting charge of the shell, the one ofwhich connections is substantially direct between the said chamber andthe bursting charge, while the other connection has an interposedslow-burning mass, and means whereby the direct connection between thepercussion-chamber and the bursting charge can be closed off to causeretardation of explosion.

The nature of this invention will best be understood when described inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 representsa central section of one form of projectile embodying my invention, partof the body of the shell being broken away and the parts being inposition for direct connection between the percussion-chamher andthe-bursting charge. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the parts inposition for slow ignition. Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views similar toFigs. 1 and 2, illustrating a modified form.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views of the drawings.

Referring at present to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the letter Adesignates the needlebolt; B, the check-ring; O, the safety-spring, andD the fulm'inate, all of which are placed within a case E, arrangedwithin the body F of the fuse. The case E can be rotated within thecentral bore of the fuse-body and carries an annular flange e. The outerend of the' case is closed by a screw-plug which contains the fulminateD previously mentioned, and

said case is held against shifting by a collar G, screwed into the bodyF, engaging a shoulder on the annular flange e. In the bottom of thecase E is formed an oblique channel H, having its inner mouth ordischarging end eceentrical with respect to the longitudinal 6o axis ofthe fuse. Beneath the case E there is inserted a plug K, which extendscontiguous with the case and is prevented from turn ing by any suitablemeans and contains two channels L and M, one of which-for instance, 6 5

the channel M-is provided with a charge of slow-burning powder. Byturning the case E the channel H can be brought into a position eitherto effect communication of the percussionchamber of the fuse with thechannel L, 7c

as shown in Fig. 1, or with the channel M, as shown, in Fig. 2. .A diskN, of cloth or other suitable material, is placed between the case E andthe insertion-piece K, said disk serving as a packing and being providedwith 7 5 two perforations corresponding to the channels L and M. Boththe channels L and M are directed toward a channel 0, passing throughthe bottom of the fuse and enlarged toward the insertion-piece K for thereception case E is provided with diametrically opposite perforationslocated at equal distances from the center of the case, and each ofthese perforationshas an inner and outer part connected by a neck ofsmaller diameter than the other parts. The outer parts of the per- 5forations p serve for the insertionof the corresponding pins of asuitable key, while the lower parts have loosely inserted therein pins.P, The outer ends of the pins P are of reduced diameter, so as toloosely fit the bore between the inner and outer parts of theperforations p. In a hole of the body F of, the

fuse a spring-bolt Q is so placed as to be capable of entering one orthe other of the perforations p when the respective perforation isbrought opposite to the bolt Q by turning the case by means of the key,thereby looking the case against furtherturning. At the same time thisbolt Q forces the corresponding pin 1 outwardly, so that its upperthinner part projects into the perforation into the path of the key insuch a position that when the key .is inserted said pin is depressed andthrough it the bolt Q, thus unlocking the case and permitting the sameto be turned.

In lrig. 1 the case E is shown in the position when the channel IIconnects with the open channel L, so that when by the impact thefiring-pin sticks the fulminate, as usual, the fire jet passes withoutobstruction through the bore of the needle-bolt and the channels I, andto the bursting charge, causing the charge to explode the moment theshell strikes. If, however, it is desired to retard the action, the caseis unlocked by inserting the key, and by turning the latter one hundredand eighty degrees the parts are brought into the relative positionsshown in Fig. 2. The proper positions of the parts are indicated bymarks on the upper ends of the case and on the body of the fuse. (Notshown.) \Vhen now the key is removed, the sprin g-bolt Q is forced intothe second perforation p of the case. In this position of the ease thechannel ll terminates over the channel N of the insertion-piece K, whichchannel is tilled with slow-burning powder, so that the bursting chargeis not ignited until this powder mass is bnrned that is, ignition ol'the bursting charge is retarded.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3, thc needle -bolt A, the check ring1;, and the safety-spring (J are arranged directly within a bore of thefuse-body F, while the t'ulminai c I) is inserted within the recess ofthe sci-cwcap closing said bore. From the percussion chamber twoseparate paths lead to the inside o charge of the shell. ()ne of thesepaths is formed by an oblique channel It, leading lo a longitiulinalchannel b, parallel to the axis of the fuse. This channel 6 extends tothe head of the fuse-body and can be Iillcd up by a screw-bolt V'. Atits bottom the channel S receives a powder charge, rcinforcing theaction of the lire jet from the i'ullninale, said charge consisting ofquick lire powder and being in direct connection with a bore To! thefuse-body, which itscll' is closcd by a screw-plug with a longitudinalbore and is likewise lillcd with a chargc ol' quick-lirc powderpcrl'oratcd longitudinally and cross wisc. 'lhc sccond connccl ionbctwecn ihc pcreussionchamber and the intcrior of tinshcll isfornicdbyihcchanncl U ,whicb is lillcd by slow-lirc powdcr and loads to thebore '1.

When lhc slicll is to be exploded without dcla) by this law, thcscrcw-bolt is rcmored, Fig. ii. The fire jet then passesthrough thcchanncls 1i, h,

l, and O and etc plodes the charge before the slow-fire powder mass inthe channel U is completely burned. When, however, the explosion is tobe delayed and not to;take place until the shell has penetrated into thetarget, the channel S is filled up by the insertion of the screw-bolt V,Fig. gt, so that the ignition of the bursting charge cannot take placeuntil after the slow-' fire powder mass in the channel U has burnedthrough to the channel 'I.

As may be readily seen, the above-described arrangements may also beused for such percussion fuses as are combined with a time fuse into acombination-fuse without materially changing the nature of theinvention. The closing up of the direct connection between thefire-space of the percussion fuse and the bursting charge may also beeifccted by other means than those shown and described.

W hat I claim as new is 1. 'In a percussion-fuse for shells thecombination of two connections between the percussion-chainbero1?thefuse and the bursting charge of the shell, one of which connections issubstantially direct between the said chamher and the bursting chargewhile the other connection has an interposed slow burning mass, andmanually-adjustcd means whereby the direct connection between thepercussionchamberand i he bnrsting'chargc can beclosed olf to causeretardation of explosion, substantially as described.

L. In a pcrcussion-i'use [or shells the combination of twointerchangeable channels between the pcrcussion-chamberof the fuse andthe bursting charge of the shell, one of which channels is substantiallydirect between the said chamber and the said charge while the ICC othcrchannel has an interposed slow-burning mass, and a manually -adjustcdrotary case i the bursting charge of the shell, one of which channels issubstantially direct between the said chamber and the said charge whilethe other channel has an inicrposial slow-burning mass, a rotary caseplaced within the body. of thc fuse and adapted to connect thepercussion-chamber with one channcl or the other, and mcans for lockingsaid case in both posilions. snbsizmlially as described.

1. In a 1icrcussion-l'nse l'o'r shells the combinzii ion of twoinicrchangcable channels belwc n lhc pcrcnssion-chaInbcr ot' the [useand thc burs: i-ng charge of the shell, one oi which channi-ls issubstantially dircct between the said chamber and the said charge whilethe oihcr channel has aninlcrposcd slow -bnrning mass. a rotary caseplaccd within the body of ih law and adaplcd to connect the percussii'nalminbcr wilh onc channcl or lhc other,

IIR

means for locking said ease in both positions,

and a key for unlocking and turning the case, substantially asdescribed.

5. The combination with the primer, of a slow burning charge, a directchannel, and manually operated means for directing the flame from theprimer through the direct channel or through the slow-burning charge.

6. In afuse, the combination with aprimer, and means for delaying theaction of the fuse, of a rotatable device provided with apassagewayarranged to be moved into line between the prim er and the explosivecharge to cause an instantaneous explosion and to be moved to anotherposition to direct the ignition through the delay-action device.

7. In a fuse,the combination with a primer, and means operated by theimpact of the projectile for detonating the primer, of a bursting chargearranged to be exploded by' the primer, a slow-burning charge, andmanually-adjustable ,means directing the ignitionfiame through theslow-burning charge to cause a delayed explosion and through anotherpassage to cause an instantaneous explosion.

8. The combination with the primer, the delay -action device and thedirect channel,

of manually-operated means for opening and closing the direct channel.

9. The combination with a .fuse having apercussion-chamber,anignition-channel leading from thepercussion-chamber to the bursting charge of the shell, anda-'slowburning charge arranged in said channel, of a channel around saidslow-burning charge, and manually-adjusted means for opening and closingthe second channel as the ignition.

10. A combined instantaneous and delayaction fuse, having means forstarting ignition, a channel for conducting ignition to the explodingcharge, a second channel for conducting ignition to the explodingcharge, a slow-burning substance in one of said channels, andmanually-adjusted means causing the ignition to pass by way of theslow-burning charge, at will.

11. In afuse, the combination of a priming device, means for delayingthe action of the fuse interposed between the priming device and thebursting charge, a direct channel and hand-operated means for exposingthe direct channel to, and for isolating it from, the fireflash of thepriming device. I

12. In a fuse, the combination with a primer and means provided with apassage-Way substantially empty and directly connecting the a passagefor.

primer with the bursting charge and another passage-way containing aslow-burning mass, of hand operated means for bringing the primer andsaid means into and out of such a relative position that thedirectly-conned? ing passage-way is closed 01f and the fire-flash comingfrom the primer passes to the bursting charge through the passage-waycontaining the slow-burning mass.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

KARL WIESER. lVitnesses:

PETER LIEBER, ERNEST AN RE.

